Leica M3 by Minox

[belgiumreporter]

The minox DCC 5.1 was just one of those things i had to have, i was able to buy this copy at a reasenable price (i've noticed the prices on ebay now have reached the ridiculous level). It really looks good in it's wooden presentation box and the camera itselve is has a nice finish. If you want a camera like this, keep in mind that it will be for display only as the image quality is nowwhere near of what minox claims in their sales brochures. And i quote : "this exquisite camera is a cult object. With a
host of accessories it will arouse emotion in every follower of traditional photography and give great pleasure to all of its users. The 5.1 megapixel resolution delivers pin-sharp images rich in detail. In addition to the optical viewfinder" yeah right... The quality is downright horrible by anyones standards, the lens flares like mad, even an overcast sky will wash out everything else in the image. Furthermore it vignettes quite substantial and "sharpness" is only to be found in the center of the image. Just take a look at the samples i've made in full res at the highest quality setting.
I cannot believe that a respectable german wetzlar based firm will lower itselve of producing such crap.
When i first bought the camera i was in the assumption that it was some chinese toy made by a company wich bought the rights on the minox name, but a brief google told me that minox is still alive and kicking and even has this joint vennture with leica. Now if they weren't using such blatant lies in their sales brochures maybe then i could live with the fact that the dcc 5.1 is nothing more than a beautifull (expensive) toy camera, but now i guess i have to say : shame on you minox for misleading your customers.

[Stephen]

A lot turn up cheap on Ebay, indicating the problem is pretty general, and you right, it was made by a toy company in the Kader group in China, using off the peg internal electronics, lenses, and back screen. They are standard Seiko or Citizen parts for low priced digital cameras under "No Name Brands", Vivitar, ans cheap House Brands.

Minox are totally owned by Leica nowadays, and Leica did indeed license these Chinese items. Few real Minox made items are made theses days, very sad.

There is a later 14meg sensor version, but by all reports the lens is the same type. It does give a better image.

Stephen

[Stephen]

The reason for the poor images is that the lens is used at full aperture, and uses neutral density effects to reach the 'smaller apertures'. It might stop down slightly in very bright light, reviews are not clear on the point. This is a typical set up on cheaper digital compacts.
Stephen

[philbirch]

I saw these in a shop a few years ago, there were other models too - I'm sure there was a 'Rolleiflex' They guy behind the counter said they were rubbish and doesnt know why people buy them. But they did - at a ridiculously high price.

[belgiumreporter]

Jan 26, 2015 8:48:02 GMT -5 Stephen said:

The reason for the poor images is that the lens is used at full aperture, and uses neutral density effects to reach the 'smaller apertures'. It might stop down slightly in very bright light, reviews are not clear on the point. This is a typical set up on cheaper digital compacts.
Stephen

Thanks Stephen for your input, the neutral density thing might explain why the camera behaves better in low light situations, i've made this shot inside manual focussed, the exif said at 1/10th @ 2.8  there's no vignetting, sharpness is better than the outside pics ( for wich the diafragm seems to be fixed at 2.8 but at diffrent shutter speeds). Still even at ISO 100 there's significant noice, also note the blue colour fringe.
For the icing on the cake i discovered that the tripod connection isn't standard, so you can't use the camera on a tripod ( i suppose it isn't a tripod connection, but a connection for the "dedicated" flash instead).



BTW. did anyone had any experience with the charan miniatures?

www.benl.ebay.be/itm/Nikon-F-Black-Limited-Version-Sharan-MegaHouse-Mini-Classic-218-Near-Mint-/221649023578?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item339b4fb25a

[Stephen]

It is made by the same people as the Minox, along with a Leica III, Rollei, Hassleblad, Contax, Leica M, and Olympus Pen FT, all contain the same Minox film camera works inside. They are a Japanese company who made them, but the newer digital version comes from China.

As Minox have uprated to 14 meg, there may be two versions of each digital version.

Previously there was a series that used Minox film, but these are discontinued now. They used a fixed speed and aperture. The digital versions are more flexible. Not all the cameras in the film versions have been converted to digital

The apertures are not a real neutral density filter, but simply adjusting the electronics to give aperture like settings. The lens may have a simple V slot diaphragm to give two apertures. The stock guts are the equivalent of a cheap compact's options.
Plenty on the controls on all are fake, there are no manual speeds, wind on not needed, etc, etc.

They were sold mainly to Japanese collectors of cameras, and allowed by makers as they cannot be confused with the real cameras, being so small.

Stephen

[Stephen]

All the website references to Sharan are dead, so the assumption is that the Minox film versions were made in Japan, they then went out of business, and it has been picked up by Kader to make digital versions in China. Kader is mentioned in one reference, and it very likely as they are a huge Chinese company making toys and consumer goods.

This makes the Minox film type now rarer, and prices, already steep, will only go up.

Stephen